Spring support for conductors



Jan. 28, 1936. BQyARD 2,23,5

SPRING SUPPORT FOR CONDUCTORS Filed Aug. 29, 1954 INVENTOR F/ayd 6Bayard svwigi g ATTOR Patented Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICESPRING SUPPORT FOR CONDUCTORS poration of New Jersey Application August29, 1934, Serial No. 741,982

11 Claims.

This invention relates to supports for electrical conductors and isparticularly adapted for high voltage lines where heavy cables areemployed.

One object of the invention is to provide maximum freedom of movement ofthe conductor where it is supported so as to minimize the tendency ofthe conductor to break due to bending at the point of support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring cushion betweenthe conductor and the supporting insulator so as to reduce thetransmission of vibrations from the conductor to the insulator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a support which willpermit expansion and contraction of the conductor due to temperaturechanges without setting up dangerous stresses in the conductor or thesupport.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the classnamed which shall be of improved construction and operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description.

The invention is exemplified by the combination and arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying drawing and described in the followingspecification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a conductor support illustrating oneembodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing a modified form of the invention.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary elevations showing modified forms ofthe supporting spring.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the numeral I0 designates a conductor cablewhich may be of any of the approved forms supported by a string ofinsulators II of conventional construction.

Suspended from an insulator II by means of a ball and socket joint,shown at I2 in Fig, 2, is a fitting I3 which supports a pivot pin I4. Asupporting spring bar is bent to provide oppositely extending arms I5,the bar being pivotally mounted at its middle on the pin I4. The barcomprising the arms I5 is continuous from end to end but is bent to forma bight at its middle portion which engages the pivot pin. Eyes I6 areformed at the outer ends of the respective arms for supporting trunnionsI! of conductor clamps I8. Each of the clamps I8 is provided with akeeper I9 and U-bolts 20 for gripping the conductor I 0, as shown inFigs. 3 and 4. The clamps thus supported are free to tilt upon theirtrunnions I'I so as to accommodate themselves to any angle that thecable maytake relative to the horizontal. The clamps are also movable upand down against the stress of the spring arms I5 to cushion anyvibration of the cable so as not to produce bending at the points ofsupport. The resistance of the spring arms to vibration also tends todampout the vibrations and the arms I5 are also movable about the axisof the pin I4 to facilitate movement of travelling waves past the pointof support and to accommodate the supporting clamp to any tiltedposition of the cable. The clamps I 8 are also movable longitudinallyagainst the stress of the spring arms I5 to accommodate expansion orcontraction of the cable between clamps. It will thus be seen that thesupport provides a maximum freedom of movement of the cable so as toavoid stresses set up in the cable by vibration or other causes and soas to prevent transmission of vibration to the supporting insulatorstring.

The spring arms I5 may be reinforced for heavy cable or where otherconditions require. For this purpose a spring having a plurality ofleaves, as shown in Fig. 6, may be employed, or a supporting bracket, asshown in Fig; 7, may be used. In Fig. 6 a single supplemental leaf isshown, but it will be readily apparent that any required number ofsupplemental leaves may be employed. In Fig. 7 a bar 20 is supportedbeneath the arms I5 of the spring by means of a suspension link 2|. Thearms I5 rest loosely upon the ends of the bar 20', the bar beingprovided with stops 22 to prevent relative lateral movement of the armsI5 relative to the bar 20'.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8, a reinforcing bar 23 isprovided similar to the bar 2| except that it is rigidly secured to asuspension bracket 24 instead of being loosely pivoted upon a supportinglink, as shown in Fig. '7.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 is similar to that in Fig. 1 exceptthat the spring arms I5 are each provided with a reinforcing leaf spring25. The branches of the spring 25, instead of following the contour ofthe arms I5 as in Fig. 6, are bent inwardly so that they approach eachother at the point 26. This arrangement will permit a limited range ofrelatively free movement but if the conductor is subjected toanunusually heavy load, the arms 25 will contact at the point 26, thusproviding a much stifier supporting spring. This form of the inventionis particularly advantageous in case of the accumulation of sleet on theconductor or of any other unusual loading on the conductor.

I claim:

1. The combination with a transmission line conductor, of clampsengaging said conductor at spaced points thereon, the weight of saidconductor being supported by said clamps, a spring bar having itsopposite ends connected with said clamps respectively, both ends of saidbar being bent downwardly from its middle portion to form a bight at itsmiddle portion, the ends of said bar being curved upwardly at oppositesides of said bight, and a horizontal pivot engaging said bight forsupporting said bar.

2. The combination with a transmission line conductor, of a pair ofclamps engaging said conductor at spaced points thereon, a pair ofspring bars connecting said clamps and disposed at opposite sides ofsaid conductor, and means for pivotally supporting said bars betweensaid clamps, the portion of said conductor between said clamps being rca ly movable relative to said spring bars in a vertical plane betweensaid bars.

3. The combination with a transmission line conductor, of a pair ofclamps engaging said conductor at spaced points thereon, a spring barhaving its opposite ends pivotally connected to said clamps respectivelyand means for pivotally supporting said bar between its ends, said barbeing curved between its point of support and each of said clamps aboutseparate centers of curvature located above said bar to permit movementof said clamps in the direction of the axis of said conductor theportion of said conductor between said clamps being entirely supportedby said clamps.

4. The combination with a transmission line conductor, of a pair ofclamps engaging said conductor at spaced points thereon and supportingsaid conductor and spring means for supporting said clamps, said clampsbeing pivotally mounted on said spring means and yieldably connectedtogether thereby and constituting the only supporting connection betweensaid spring means and said conductor, said spring means having reversebends therein and being yieldable longitudinally and transversely ofsaid conductor.

5. The combination with a transmission line conductor, of a pair ofclamps engaging said conductor at spaced points thereon, a support forsaid conductor between said clamps and spring arms pivotally mounted onsaid support and pivotally connected to said clamps for supporting saidclamps, said clamps constituting the entire supporting connectionbetween said conductor and said spring arms the inner ends of said armsbeing fixed to each other so that the weight on one arm is balancedagainst the weight on the other about the pivotal support for said arm,said arms extending downwardly from their point of support and beingcurved upwardly about separate points above said arms.

6. The combination with a transmission line conductor, of a springsupport for said conductor, and means for providing supplementalreinforcement for said spring support when said spring support yields apredetermined amount, said m'eans comprising abutments which are broughtinto contact only when said spring arms have yielded a predeterminedamount.

7. The combination with a transmission line conductor, of a pair ofclamps connected to said conductor and supporting the weight of saidconductor at spaced points thereon, spring arms for supporting saidclamps, and means for providing supplemental reinforcement of saidspring arms said means coming into action only when said spring armsyield a predetermined amount.

8. The combination with a transmission line conductor, of a pair ofclamps engaging said conductor at spaced points thereon and supportingthe weight of said conductor, a spring for supporting said clamps, meansfor pivotally supporting said spring between said clamps, and means forproviding supplemental reinforcement for said spring when said springyields a predetermined amount under the weight on said clamps, saidsupplemental reinforcing means being pivoted to move about the pivotalsupport for said spring and comprising abutments that engage each otherto enhance the effect of said supplemental means only after said springhas yielded a predetermined amount.

9. In combination a support for a conductor, a lever arm pivotallymounted on said support to swing about a horizontal axis, and means atthe respective ends of said lever arm for engaging said conductor atspaced points therealong, said lever arm being formed of springmaterial, the opposite ends of said arm being extended downwardly fromsaid axis and then bent upwardly about separate centers of curvature atopposite sides of said axis and above said arm and yieldablelongitudinally of said cable and transversely thereof in a verticaldirection.

10. The combination with a support for a conductor, of a spring armpivotally mounted between its ends on a horizontal axis on said support,and clamps pivotally mounted on horizontal axes on said arm at therespective ends thereof and supporting a conductor at spaced pointsalong said conductor, said arm being centrally bent to form a bight forits pivotal mounting and each end portion of said arm being reverselycurved between its point of pivotal mounting on said support and therespective ends thereof to permit spring movement of the ends of saidarm in the direction of the length of said conductor.

11. The combination with an insulator, of a spring arm pivotally mountedon said insulator, clamps pivotally mounted on said arm at oppositesides of said insulator and counterpoised by said arm against eachother, said arm being curved between its point of pivotal support andits pivotal connections with said clamps about separate points abovesaid arm and at opposite sides of its pivoted mounting on said insulatorto permit yielding movement of said clamps toward and away from thepoint of pivotal support of said arm on said insulator, and a conductorcarried by said clamps, said clamps constituting the entire supportingconnection between said conductor and said spring arm.

FLOYD G. BOVARD.

